Laser levels have been used in construction for many years. They typically seek to produce a plane of light for a reference for construction projects. Laser levels have been used for large scale construction projects like commercial excavating, laying foundations, and installing drop ceilings. Laser levels save considerable time during initial layout of a construction job compared to other tools such as beam levels, chalk lines, or torpedo levels. Some examples of jobs where laser levels would be useful include laying tile, mounting cabinets, installing counter tops, and building outdoor decks. Because these laser levels can typically cost thousands of dollars, only those who regularly land larger construction projects can justify purchasing a laser level. Laser levels have not achieved widespread adoption by the general public despite the time savings because of their initial cost of ownership. The expense can be attributed to the cost of suitable laser sources such as He-Neon laser and associated optical system used to manipulate the beam generated by the laser source.
In accordance with the present invention, an improved laser level is employed. The laser level comprises a motor, a shaft driven by the motor, a housing fixedly disposed on the shaft, the housing having a bore therein, a barrel pivotally connected to the housing, a laser diode module disposed within the barrel, and a screw disposed on the housing and contacting the barrel for adjusting the pivotal position of the barrel.
Also disclosed is a light detector, which comprises a housing having front and rear walls, a light receiving section disposed on the front wall, and displays disposed on the front and rear walls for showing the location of received light relative on the light receiving section.
Additional features and benefits of the present invention are described, and will be apparent from, the accompanying drawings and the detailed description below.